Tuesday, May 08, 2007

New Book Roundup: March/April 2007

In the last two months I've seen enough exciting reviews to keep me reading for the rest of the year. The Fiction, Literature and Gay Interest sections are particularly well-stocked this time out. (In Gay literature alone we've got the return of Maupin, Schulman, Leavitt and Delany to look forward to). OK, I better get reading.

TOP PICKS

Falling Man by Don DeLilloIt seems there's been kind of a nasty backlash against DeLillo the last few years, but this novel may put him back on top. I'm certainly reading it.

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwanMcEwan's 13th work of fiction concerns the story of a marriage in 1963. The story of a couple's wedding night and how it affects their lives sounds like the perfect focus for McEwan's psychological fiction.

The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael ChabonJudging by Chabon's latest (and news of the novel coming later in the year), Chabon is settling into a mission of quirky genre fiction. The latest is high-concept, being set in an Alaska where Jews settled post-WWII instead of Israel. Yet it also sounds noirish in a way that reminds me of Lethem.

Dark Reflections by Samuel R. DelanyA "fascinatingly structured experiment in alternative autobiography—what if Delany had remained a poet and not turned to prose?"(PW) Even though I'm a rather new Delany fan, I'm pretty excited about this.

FICTION

NOVELSRavel by Jean EchenozA Prix Goncourt-winner's novel covers the last 10 years of Maurice Ravel's life, including the composer's mental decline and brain surgery.

Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie SwannGerman novel about a flock of Irish sheep who decide to solve the murder of their kind shephard--weird, eh? And it's getting some great reviews. Sounds fun.

Out Stealing Horses by Per PettersonOverdue translation of one of Norway's most highly-regarded writers. I've seen some top-notch reviews for this novel online.

The Last Novel by David MarksonI've only seen one (glowing) review for this experimental work of fiction, the final work of a dying (fictional) novelist. Sounds intriguing.

The Damned Season by Carlo LucarelliA cop struggles to survive in Italy post-Mussolini (1946) in this second part of a trilogy. Sounds a bit noirish, and at novella length it sounds worth checking out.

Day at the Beach by Helen SchulmanSounds like one of the better 9/11 novels so far.

Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey by Chuck PalahniukA typically twisted and bizarre story from Palahniuk about a nasty young man in a bizarre urban future who likes to infect himself and as many others as possible with rabies.

The Rebels by Sandor MaraiMixed reviews (including some very enthusiastic) for this Eastern European writer who’s suddenly in the spotlight because of a series of new translations.

The Chess Machine by Robert LohrGerman historical novel about a Baron who engineers a chess-playing automaton to impress an Empress, but as it's 1770 he cheats.

The Savage Garden by Mark MillsA mystery with a literary theme (referring to Dante), from the acclaimed author of Amagansett.

The Slynx by Tatyana TolstayaI'm late in learning about this, Tolstaya's only novel, a postapocalyptic story with a humorous edge. It was out in hardcover a few years ago but NYRB is bringing out the first paperback now. Sounds like it fits in well now with McCarthy's The Road.

Divisadero by Michael OndaatjeI've never read Ondaatje, but this story sounds interesting. Maybe after I see some more strong reviews.

Sheppard Lee: By Himself by Robert Montgomery BirdWhat?! A peer of Poe's who wrote a dark American satire involving metempsychosis, compared to Melville's The Confidence-Man? This sounds awesome!

Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin GrossmanGood and evil, supeheroes and archvillains, yet a more realistic, humorous literary approach--sounds like it has potential.

North River by Peter HamillDepression-era story of a GP in New York, a wounded vet of World War I whose wife has left him and whose daughter has left her two-year-old in his care.

The Uncertain Hour: A Novel by Jesse BrownerNovel about the last days of the ancient Greek Petronius, whom the Emperor Nero sentenced to death. Given the choice of suicide or execution, he chose the former. Mostly strong reviews, though one reviewer called it "hollow."

The Slaves of Solitude by Patrick HamiltonNot sure what to make of this recent addition to the NYRB line: Nick Hornby relates it to Dickens and Martin Amis, and the WWII era story concerns a battle of wills between two women in a boardinghouse. Serious? Campy? I'm curious.

The World to Come by Dara HornThis novel came out last year but the wonderful paperback art got my attention really for the first time. And it sounds good!

Descendants by Kaui Hart HemmingsHemmings follows up her short story collection with a very well-reviewed Hawaiian family drama.

Bow Grip: A Novel by Ivan E. CoyoteI'd like to see more reviews, but this tale of a small-town mechanic who takes up the cello to fill the void when his wife leaves him sounds good.

Five Skies by Ron CarlsonIf nothing else, I'd like to check out some of this acclaimed writer's earlier short stories.

Cat O' Nine Tales by Jeffrey ArcherShort story collection including nine inspired by tales heard when the author was incarcerated (for perjury, if I understand correctly).

Collected Stories by Leonard MichaelsA critic writes that his best work is worthy of comparison to Malamud, Paley, O'Connor and Cheever. Especially recommended were the stories "Manikin," "The Deal" and "Murderers."

The Second Book by Muharem BazduljA new title from the excellent Northwestern University Press, this is the work of an Easterm European author compared to Danilo Kis, Milan Kundera, and Jorge Luis Borges. (Not clear to me whether this is stories or longer fiction.)

SF/FANTASYThe Children of Hurin by J. R. R. TolkienCobbled together from various sources, an unfinished Tolkien story is finished…somehow…and a friend told me she'd seen bad reviews, but I haven't. Just don't expect it to be like Lord of the Rings--that's the main thing.

Brasyl by Ian McDonaldAnother novel in which characters in different time periods are linked. McDonald seems to be gaining a following and an excellent reputation.

NONFICTION

Discovering Orson Welles by Jonathan RosenbaumJane Campion by Kathleen McHughA collection of Rosenbaum's writings on Welles, one of his major areas of expertise. I'll be interested to see how much of this stuff was already included in earlier anthologies. Also, a new monograph on Campion from a series edited by one of JR's favorite writers, James Naremore.

Your Movie Sucks by Roger EbertI just read that the Shaun of the Dead guys used Ebert's Big Book of Hollywood Cliches to write Hot Fuzz. This volume is a companion to Ebert's I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie.

LITERATUREAt Large and At Small: Familiar Essays by Anne FadimanFadiman, author of several books about literature, turns her hand to familiar essays. I'm looking forward to giving this a shot.

Discovering Modernism: T. S. Eliot and His Context by Louis MenandNot new, but it's the second edition of a book I didn't know about. Menand impressed the hell out of me with The Metaphysical Club, and this book sounds intriguing, too, if not as wide-ranging.

Now and Then: The Poet's Choice Columns, 1997-2000 by Robert HassDuring his tenure as Poet Laureate Hass wrote a column in which he discussed poets and poetry and connected them to the events of the day. Collected here, they were a big success, syndicated in many newspapers.

POLITICSEnd Times: Death of the Fourth Estate by Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. ClairI've seen no reviews yet (and I'm not holding my breath for any, given their radical politics), but Cockburn's always got something interesting to say.

Debating Race by Michael Eric Eric DysonI'm late in mentioning this one, but I'm intrigued that Dyson has, instead of writing a lecture, chosen such an interesting array of people to engage in conversation. Could be very interesting.

SCIENCEWhat is Your Dangerous Idea?: Today's Leading Thinkers on the Unthinkable ed. by John Brockman, with Richard Dawkins (Afterword) and Steven Pinker (Intro)I found this in a catalogue, not in the reviews, but it sounds intriguing: Brockman (who edited the similarly intriguing title, What We Believe but Cannot Prove) asked top scientists to write about their most dangerous ideas.

Of Gay Interest:

Fellow Travelers by Thomas MallonA fairly timely novel set in the McCarthy era that deals with the relationship between a powerful politician and a more innocent young man. Been compared to Vidal but it also reminds me of Preminger's Advise and Consent.

Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin(Glowing) reviews say Maupin insists it isn't a Tales of the City sequel but then call him a liar.

The Child by Sarah SchulmanSchulman finally returns with a new novel, and it sounds like a completely different and intriguing direction. Welcome back, Sarah, we missed you!

The Indian Clerk by David LeavittLeavitt seems to be continuing his interest in mathematicians, this time Srinivasa Ramanujan and Bloomsbury friend G. H. Hardy.

When You Were Me by Robert RodiSeen only one review which was terrible, but come on, it's a cute premise. (And I had no idea the body-switching genre was started in the Victorian era by someone named F. Anstey in his Vice Versa: A Lesson to Fathers. Interesting.)